WORD GUIDE TO CHAPTER THREE

Bootstrap:

 A program that starts a computer.   

Cursor:

A patch of light or other visual indicator that shows where a person is working in a body of text.

DOS:

Disk Operating System. This is IBM’s version of the operating system1 which controls many of the functions of the computer.

Directory:

Tables of contents that lists programs and files that are stored sequentially on a diskette or hard disk. In short, a directory that describes the layout of records within a file.

Operating System:

A program or collection of programs that manages the hardware, output devices, logic operations and a number of other management functions. it provides a link between software and the computer’s internal language.

Security:

 The protection of information against disclosure, transfer, modifications, or destruction.

Write Protect:

 The process of protecting information stored on a diskette by sealing off the read/write notch with a tab or special tape. Some diskettes, such as those containing the operating systems, are  permanently sealed to prevent writing over their contents.

 

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CONFIGURING A SYSTEM

The best way to configure, or have a personal computer assembled to meet specific needs, is to single out those jobs that are appropriate for such a machine to perform. After a list of

FIGURE 26. Compaq Portable Personal Computer. Courtesy of Compaq Computer Corporation.

FIGURE 27. Lap-top personal computer. Drawing Courtesy of Data General Corporation.

 These tasks has been established, the next step is to take a look at what software products are available that will best meet those needs. When the most appropriate software has been selected, the personal computer itself can be designed and ordered. Following this approach ensures that enough memory will be installed to run the software, and that the personal computer will be tailored with such things as fixed disks, and given whatever capabilities are needed to perform such tasks as: displaying and printing color charts and graphs, communicating with other computers, having access to over-the-phone services via a modem, and printing letter-quality documents. If machines are dedicated to training programs or departments, they should be configured as closely as possible to those placed elsewhere in the organization. Most systems being installed in organizations contain between 256K and 640K of memory, are equipped to handle color graphics and displays, and have a printer. For training purposes, a dot-matrix is generally all that is necessary. 

 

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Computer Knowledgeable

This stage consists of:

Learning of vocabulary. Finding out what makes of system unit. Finding out how personal computers fit into an organization’s plans. Reading some basic hooks instructions manuals. Discovering the issues in personal computing. Talking with au experienced user who can share insights and horror stories

Personal Computing:

Getting a feel for what the big picture is in terms of how personal computers will be used

Developing a feel for what the various software programs are, and how they apply to particular jobs

Computer practical:

In this second stage, a person should:

Have a good understanding of how all the pieces of a personal computer fit together and knowing what they do be able to turn everything on and use the operating system (DOS or its equivalent)

Software informed:

This third stage of development sees a user:

Understand how to apply one or more software programs to a particular job. Staying abreast of how programs are being used or developed elsewhere, and also within the user’s organization .Keeping up with new software releases. Remaining well versed in practicing backup, security, and documentation

Applications capable:

The fourth level of development entails:

Knowing the ins and outs of one or more software packages. Having an ability to make the software do what the user wants it to. Knowing where information is and how to access it. Having a basic understanding of common error messages, and knowing how to deal with them

Applications resource:

A person at this level:

Can troubleshoot particular software or hardware problems, and can run the necessary diagnostic programs .Can performs system upgrades (install memory chips, boards, modems, etc.).Stays abreast of the literature and read one or more books or periodicals a month. Can answer other people’s questions, and help match hardware and software to a particular need Knows when not to do something

Computer conversant:

If there is a truly literate stage, this would be it. A person at this level would have mastered each of the preceding stages and added them:

Ability to program in one or more computer languages. The important thing to remember about computer literacy is that technology is changing so quickly that few people will ever truly become literate as we now do not define that word, nor does everyone need to know everything. Managers, for example, will want to know what personal computers are capable of, what types of information can best be processed with them, and how to ask for that information. Managers won't always need to know how to produce that information themselves, and few managers have the time to write their own programs. Computer knowledge should perhaps be viewed along the lines of a classical education, in which people learn a little about a lot, Through such a process they will discover that the key to controlling the future of this technology lies not so much in doing something with it, as in understanding everything it is capable of.

COMPUTER PHOBIA:

When it comes to working with computers, there’s no getting around the fact that some people are just plain scared. Many people are reluctant when they first begin. What causes these apprehensions varies from person to person, but most of these anxieties can be traced to one of the following categories:

A genuine fear of computers. A fear of somehow damaging the system. Lack of typing skills or a general knowledge of keyboards. A fear of not ever being able to learn as much as is needed. Being intimidated by the language (or jargon).Each of these is a valid feeling or concern for the person experiencing it, and will have a definite impact on how well they will adapt to the technology and how quickly they will learn it. In each case, having an understanding of why people feel the way they do can help make the transition easier (though not always successful).

 

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HOW COMPUTER LITERATE DO PEOPLE NEED TO BE?

Not too long ago, a computer company ran a series of television commercials in which a personnel interviewer is reviewing a resume composed mainly of achievements in video arcades. After looking it over for a moment, the interviewer addresses the young applicant: “You destroyed one billion aliens from the planet Mongol. You know a lot about computer games. So tell me, what do you know about computers?” The applicant’s face goes blank.What do you know about computers?’‘ may well become business question of the future, and that has caused a lot of interest in the subject of computer literate," has become a kind of  battle cry among many business, government, and education leaders. This is easier said than done, since there is confusion as to exactly what the term computer literacy really means.It has become so overused that ii you were to ask 10 people what they thought it meant you would probably hear10 different answers. The simple fact is that this is no universally accepted understanding of what constitutes computer literacy.Some definitions of computer literacy include:

Spreadsheets—if you can do a spreadsheet you’re literate enough for us

Programming in at least one language, and possibly more being able to turn a system on and do something with it. Having enough knowledge to apply the technology to a job or to solving a problem. To know how to use whatever software you are given Simply being aware of the technology, and understanding how it might be of value to you Knowing the jargon and how it all fits together. According to Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, “literate” means “able to read and write.” Applying this to computers would mean being able to program. When schools talk about making our children computer literate, this is largely what they have in mind. A recent radio commercial also used the job interview format. The recruiter asked what languages the applicant knew. “French, Spanish, and a little German,” came the response. “What?” the recruiter exclaims, “No COBOL, Fortran, or BASIC?” The emphasis of that advertisement and others like it is that we had all better learn programming if we want to be literate and employable. Do we really want to become a nation of computer programmers, though? Judging from the diversity of opinion as to what constitutes computer literacy, and the limited range of jobs people are performing on personal computers, it will probably not be essential for most people to learn a programming language. This will probably become more evident as software programs become easier to learn and use. Still, many people harbor a fear of competition or obsolescence at the hands of a younger, more computer-literate generation. As they see commercials showing toddlers sitting on their parents’ laps while working on a personal computer, and computer curriculums becoming a part of the educational process from kindergarten through graduate school, many working people are starting to wonder how much they should be learning. How much someone needs to know, will probably depend on what kind of work they do, the availability of software to do it, and their own interest in learning about computers. For most people who have (or will gain) access to personal computers, however, that need will stop short of learning how to program. People also need to understand that they aren’t really competing with those who are still in school. Personal computers are just as new to education as they are to everyone else, and while students are getting a jump on things, many of them are years away from the workplace. Much of what students are learning won’t he readily transferable to their future jobs, either. Once employed, they will have to learn how to work the business applications and wait in line for a personal computer the same as everyone else. As companies invest more of their resources in personal computer technology, they will demand that programs be simplified to accommodate even the least educated of their workers. With the economic force of volume purchasing power behind them, companies will no doubt lead the way towards more user friendly programs. This in turn limits what people will have to learn, and ensures a steady stream of work for programmers.Perhaps the best thing that could be done would be to purge the term computer literacy and substitute a more realistic description that takes into account what people really need to know, such as the following stages of development:

 

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PEOPLE’S EXPECTATIONS ON COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE

We are a society of images. Our standards and expectations are often shaped by the way we visualize things. Our primary sources for the way we see our world (or at least would like to see it) are found in commercial advertising. For good or bad, much of what many people know about personal computers is based entirely on what they see in 60-second television spots or in the product displays found in newspapers or magazines. Advertising is designed to catch one’s attention and spark the public’s imagination. Manufacturers want people to know that personal computers are more than toys, so they tend to picture them doing some fairly sophisticated things. More than that, they tend to show them as the tools of successful people. It wasn’t always that way, of course. Many people had their first taste of the technology through home systems that did little more than play Pong or other arcade games. Those early systems were quick to evolve, however, into more powerful tools and the advertising shifted away from entertainment towards business. This became increasingly true as more personal computer corn- panics entered the marketplace and competition quickly turned into battles for survival. A company’s success required the type of volume i1hS that can only come from business, industry, and government .As advertising changed to reflect the needs of these constituencies, it also began to 1itled the expectations people had about personal computers and what they can do. What advertising how k end results. The commercials picture young executives sitting down at their desks, turning on and getting instant information. Advertisements picture screens with full-color graphs and charts, or leave the impression that the heroes of today’s offices are the ones who can produce instant analysis. The tramp skates through to success simply by putting a personal computer on his desk.What the advertising doesn’t show is all the time and effort it can take to get a personal computer to do everything shown. Audiences are often left with the impression that personal computers are not only easy to figure out, but that they will arrive ready to do whatever is asked of them. Many companies expect the same things, and it isn’t unusual to find organizations where little time has been planned or allocated for getting people started on working with the technology. As people saw personal computers being placed with managers and executives first, another expectation developed. Success is equated with having a personal computer, or at least having access to one. Computers aren’t thought of as tools to improve productivity, but rather as vehicles to enhance careers. This carries the status symbol quality one step further. Some workers, perhaps fearful of future obsolescence, are also developing the expectation that they have a right to be trained on the technology whether or not they are currently using it. Part of this fear is being fueled by advertising and educational programs that emphasize personal computer training for children as young as toddlers. These two groups represent the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to offering training programs. On one hand, those looking for career mobility will want access to new programs that may enhance their own marketability. They will press for training in the latest or most innovative software, and will be the first to ask for demonstrations. They stay current by reading various trade publications, watching advertisements for the latest product announcements, and by listening to any number of office or personal computer user grapevines. Spurred on by their various sources of information, they often ask for training or access to so-called vaporware products, which have been publicly announced or given a product evaluation or review by a publication, but which are not yet available for sale.It is from this group that the user expert, or cocky novice (someone who knows just enough to be dangerous), will come. As a group they will tend to see personal computers as a means to a particular end, and will strike out more on their own to explore various packages and programs. Often they will be looking more for the “flash” effect a program may provide than for its added productivity value. The second group tends to view personal computers as an inevitable fact of life. They will need more basic information and will he less likely to go off exploring on their own. Many will be from the ranks of older workers and some will harbor a genuine fear of computers. They will learn what they feel they need to know in order to keep up with younger employees, and will press for training that is more related to the job they are currently performing. It is this group that will view personal computer training as something they have an inherent right to learn, and will often plead to be allowed into introductory classes.Whichever the group, there will be ample sources of motivation for wanting to learn about personal computers, as well as a wide divergence of expectations about how quickly that can be accomplished, and what that will mean back on the job.

 

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